Malaysia declares state of emergency as cases climb
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s king yesterday declared a nationwide state of emergency to fight a coronavirus surge that is overwhelming hospitals, with critics charging it was a move by an unstable government to cling to power.
The announcement came a day after the prime minister introduced sweeping new curbs across much of the Southeast Asian nation, including the closure of most businesses, and warned the health system was “at breaking point”.
Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah agreed to declare an emergency until Aug 1 following a request from Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in a Monday meeting, the national palace said in a statement.
The move allows for the suspension of parliament and political activities, such as local elections, and comes at a time Mr Muhyiddin’s highly unstable, 10-month-old government is facing a host of challenges.
Key allies in his ruling coalition are threatening to withdraw support, which could lead to the collapse of the government and snap national polls that some fear could worsen the outbreak.
Malaysia kept the virus in check for much of last year with a tough lockdown but, once curbs were eased, cases accelerated and have repeatedly hit fresh records in recent days.
The emergency could be lifted earlier if the rate of infection slows, the palace statement added.
An election in Sabah last year has been blamed for triggering a new wave of infections that spread nationwide. But critics said that the declaration — rarely used in Malaysia — was a gambit by Mr Muhyidding to cling to power.